HYPE-R-R

The exhibition opening was held August 11, 2011 at 18 pm in the Artpro gallery in Prague. Introduction by the curators of the exhibition Ing. Martina Veverková and PhDr. Vaclav Hajek, Ph.D., whose texts can be read below.
Video from the opening:

Several photos from the opening:

HYPE-R-R / Ing. Martina Veverková

Exhibitons HYPE-R-R presenets contemporary Czech painting of young and middle generation whose authors are mainly graduees from professor Zdeněk Beran´s studio at AVU, Prague, and tend to realistic or even hyperrealistic expression. Oposite to contemporary trends their paintings are turning back to classical techniques which are today mainly out of public same as academic interest as if they belong to once closed history.
Presented collections does not provide a complete or comprehensive overview of this technically perfect painting, it is more a reminder of fact, that the academically envisioned history of art is not actually repeating, hyperrealism is more likely a new move in the developement of art: Presented authors are excuisite at their technique but pursue other goals than just portraying reality. They situate themselves on the field of internal experience and again-constructed reality which is somehow close to simulacra. They present omnipresent reality, denounce it, negate it and construct a new one. The signifié-signifiant realiton had disappeared. Simulated reality is gone and new, supreme, the only true reality, the hyperreality, is established. Simularcum, reality constructed without reference to the matters of fact impersonates itself to be the only real reality and mocks those of us who would like to find the reality in it. Authors are escaping from the simulation by creating bigger wholes, such as painting in cycles, tossed with recycled experiences, attitudes and desires.
The exhibition presents different phases of the simulational deliverance. With special emphasis on figural topics we meet Balcar´s psychological baroque illusionism, Urbanová´s death-resistng Brides, futuristic painting of Jan Gemrot or satirical reflection of Czech society by Lukáš Miffek.

Waiting for reality / PhDr. Václav Hájek, PhD.

Realism, naturalism, radical realism, photo realism or hyperrealism are_ concepts of art history same as literature, philosophy or other branches. None of them has stable definition and their usage under condition of each period depended on official same as alternative ideologies and concerned more portrayal of social situation more than natural givenness. Even landscaping of Dutch „Gold Era“in 17th century, sometimes mentioned as the birth of realistic understanding, was carrying important political and religious message and from today perspective can be ironically called an ´advertisement´ of faith and politics understanding of that time and location (Protestantism and economic liberalism in contrast to Catholicism and centralism).
Even the period often called the epoque of modern realism or positivism, period around 1850, was not primarirly focused on the reflection of natural reality. Leading persons of science, political theory or painting of that time were seeking inovations in political and social ordering often tending to futuristic utopies. Their criticism was gradually growing and in the ended, especially at the field of literature, in naturalism which raised many tempestuous reactions. Emila Zola´s novels were often understod as mere defamation balancing at the edge of obscureness and crudeness. Those and similar artpieces are typical with on other important feature though, their intensity, strong impact on reader or viewer which borders with an experience of distance-loose, immediate contact or, possibility of entering the artefact. This immediacy causes often a state of nausea, disgust. Facing the artpiece, reader or viewer is not able to keep his distance, his integrity has collapsed, he finds himself in the middle of the artefact and the message often using motives of deatch, illness, breakdown or distaste is maximally efficient. Similiar intensification was the goal of decadence or expresionism. Decadence brings us to artifical worlds of drugs or luxury and refers to critical state of society. Expresionism represents breakdown, giddiness, old orders collapse. 20th century hyperrealism shows with ´no comment´ state of industrialized, artificial world focused on technology and urban mass-culture.
This exhibition presents hyperrealistic tendencies in their once and future form. In the contentual same as formal aspects there are some points similar to dekadence as a form of radicalized naturalism. Shapes of figures seem to be stiff but there is ongoing breakdown palpable under the surface. Presented paintings are immediate, demonstrative in contrast of beauty and abhorrance, desire and satiety. Idyl is only ilusory (girls by Jiřičková), figures wait, observe (Malina), dream (Gemrot), find their place behind the border of life and death (Urbanová, Engelberth).
Reality is not being understood as instantly reachable fact, but more as a inaccessible, lost ideal we can dream about, but touch only its traces, relics in obscure closets of curiosities (Mařenec, Lachman). Violence commited on bodies is one of the very few possibilities of understanding our own existence (Balcar). Every day life, banality have ironic tone (Houska). Paintings are disappearing step by step being transformed into emptiness, spiritual vision (Uldrych).
Realism understod from the beginning of European modern period as a philosophical concept and aim faces its own borders and discloses its non-viable hypotetitism. Thinking and imaging of this type seems as constant waiting for absolute and ideal imprint, exquisite doubleness of reality which in fact causes disconnection and make us find ourselves in virtual simulated worlds more and more far from prime reality.